Heat-exchanger for power plants, especially motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

In a motor vehicle, for example, having the usual coolant radiator, a second heat exchanger is mounted ahead of the radiator and carried thereby for sliding removal and replacement.

United States Patent 1 1 Daman HEAT-EXCHANGER FOR POWER PLANTS,

ESPECIALLY MOTOR VEHICLES [75] Inventor: Leonard Salisbury Daman, CedarFalls, Iowa [73] Assignee: Deere & Company, Moline, 111.

[22] Filed: June 12, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 261,696

[52] 11.5. C1. 165/76 [51] Int. Cl F28f 7/00 {58] Field of Search165/43, 51, 76-78,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,525,437 2/1925 Berman .1165/76 145] Sept. 11, 1973 2,264,820 12/1941 Young 105/1411 X 2,378,3516/1945 Young 105/140 X 2,397,069 3/1946 Young et 211.. 165/140 X3,315,731 4/1967 Jensen et a1. 165/51 Primary Examiner-Charles .l. MyhreAssistant Ex q mjp e rThe0phil Streule, Jr. Attorney-H. Vincent Harsha,William A. Murray et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT In a motor vehicle, for example, having the usual cool antradiator, a second heat exchanger is mounted ahead of the radiator andcarried thereby for sliding removal and replacement.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTED 1 SHEU 2 BF 2 FIG.5

FIG. 4

HEAT-EXCHANGER FOR POWER PLANTS, ESPECIALLY MOTOR VEHICLES BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION It is typical in power plant installations, especiallymotor vehicles, to mount a second heat exchanger on-usually ahead of-theconventional coolant radiator so that air flows through the twoexchangers in series. The problem to be solved lies in improving themeans whereby the second heat exchanger may be more easily serviced;e.g., removed from and replaced in its normal position. Conventionally,the second exchanger may be a part of a secondary liquid system, such asa transmission oilcooler, air-conditioning condensor, etc. The problemis particularly acute where the surrounding structure associated withthe engine, such as hood, side panels, etc. interfere with removal andreplacement of the second exchanger. Also, the exchanger is quite heavyand is not easily maneuvered into and out of place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is aperspective of a typical agricultural tractor in which the inventionfinds utility.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a front portion of thestructure associated with the .engine and showing the radiator andsecondary exchanger.

FIG. 3 is a view as seen generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2..

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view as seen along the line 4+4 of FIG. 3. I

FIG. 5 is a partial view, with portions in section, as seen along theline 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a typical of anagricultural vehicle selected as a representative background for anexplanation of the invention. The tractor shown there has a main bodysupported on front wheels 12 and rear wheels 14 and includes a reardrivers cab I6 and a forward engine hood structure 18, the latterofwhich is enclosed in part byremovable side panels 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates portions of the structure that are visible uponremoval of the hood and side panels. Forwardmost is a fuel tank 20, andspaced to the rear of that is an internal-combustion engine 22 havingassociated structure including the usual engine fan (not shown) partlyenclosed in a typical fan shroud 24. A

first exchanger 26, here the engine coolant radiator for theliquid-cooled engine, is disposed in an upright position ahead of thefan, and a second exchanger 28 is disposed in juxtaposed relation toand, here, ahead of the radiator, so that air flow created by the enginefan is drawn through the two exchangers in series, it being noted thatthe panels 20 are perforate.

In the particular environment here, the exchanger 28 is a transmissionoil cooler, having a lower conduit connection 30 to a lubricant pump 32and an upper conduit connection 34 that leads to the transmission oilsump (not shown). The exchanger could be of some other type and for someother purpose. Also visible in FIG. 2 are an air cleaner 36 and otherlines and components not important to the invention except as anindication of the limited availability of space for the ex changer 28.In the usual situation, it is preferred to remove one side panel 20,leaving the upper part of the hood in place, when it is desired toservice the exchanger 28. This means that the exchanger must be removedand replaced along a path transverse to the length of the vehicle,besides which the exchanger is quite heavy. Consequently, simpleremovable means such as nuts and bolts are not satisfactory.

The mounting means comprises a pair of-here upper and lower-track means38 and 40 arranged in horizontal parallelism. Because the two means arethe same, a detailed description of one will suffice for the other. Theupper means is shown in detail.

' The upper means includes an elongated element 42 securely fastened tothe top of the exchanger 28, preferably in the form of a metal striphaving a rolled portion 44 that forms essentially a tube. Each of theseele ments extends completely across the exchanger. The radiator 26carries, as its cooperative track element, a member 46 of invertedJ-shape, the partial roll of which complements and receives the tubularelement 44 in transversely sliding relation. Similar elements arevisible at the bottom of the two exchangers, which will be clear withoutfurther elaboration.

Each of the opposite ends of the rolled or tubular I portion 44 isinternally threaded at 48 to receive a threaded fastener in the form ofa cap screw 50 which has a washer 52 abutting the outside end of theelement 46. There are four such cap screws, and when these are securelytightened, the two exchangers are held rigidly together. Each member orelement 46 is mounted on the front of the radiator 26 by cap screws orequivalent fasteners 54, and the depending part of each element 46 isslotted vertically at 58 to provide a limited range of adjustability soas to enable the track elements to be relatively adjusted and thus toimprove the sliding arrangement between the two.

'Removal of the exchanger 28 involves only the re moval of the sidepanels 20 without disturbing the hood 18 and associated components. Thecap screws 50 at one end of the tubular elements 44 are removed and theexchanger 28 may he slid easily out of the opposite side opening of thetractor. Removal may be accomplished from either side. Replacement issimply'a reversal of the foregoing.

I claim: l. A heat-exchange system for a power plant installation,especially for a motor vehicle, including a liquidcooledinternal-combustion engine, a 'first heatexchanger associated with theengine and through which engine coolant circulates, a secondliquidcirculating means associated with the installation, ,a secondheat-exchanger through which secondary means liquid circulates anddisposed in juxtaposed relation to the first exchanger so that airpasses through the exchangers in series, and means detachably mountingone exchanger relative to the other, characterized in that the mountingmeans comprises track means slid ably supporting the one exchangerrelative to the other for movement into and out of said juxtaposedrelation, and releasable securing means cooperative with the track meansfor normally securing the exchangers in said juxtaposed relation.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, further characterized in that thetrack means includes spaced apart pairs of cooperative track elements.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, further characterized in that oneelement of each pair includes a tubular portion and thevcooperativeelement of each pair includes a complementarily shaped portion and thereleasable means for each pair includes a fastener remov- 6. Theinvention defined in claim 2, further characterized in that theexchangers are disposed in parallel vertical planes and the trackelements are upper and lower pairs.

7. The invention defined in claim 6, further characterized in that thefirst exchanger is vertical and is mounted ahead of the engine, thesecond exchanger is vertical and is mounted ahead of the firstexchanger, one element of each pair is carried on the first exchanger inspaced apart parallel relationship and the other elements of the pairare carried on the second exchanger.

8. The invention defined in claim 7, further characterized in that theelements on the first exchanger are detachably and adjustably mounted.

9. The invention defined in claim 7, further characterized in that thesecond exchanger elements are each in the form of a strip having arolled portion proximate to the first exchanger and parallel thereto andeach element on the first exchanger is a J-shaped element cooperativelyfitting the respective rolled portion.

10. The invention defined in claim 9, further characterized in that eachof the opposite ends of each rolled portion is internally threaded andeach fastener is a cap screw threaded into the associated rolled portionand abutting the respective end of the associated J-shaped portion.

1. A heat-exchange system for a power plant installation, especially fora motor vehicle, including a liquid-cooled internal-combustion engine, afirst heat-exchanger associated with the engine and through which enginecoolant circulates, a second liquid-circulating means associated withthe installation, a second heat-exchanger through which secondary meansliquid circulates and disposed in juxtaposed relation to the firstexchanger so that air passes through the exchangers in series, and meansdetachably mounting one exchanger relative to the other, characterizedin that the mounting means comprises track means slidably supporting theone exchanger relative to the other for movement into and out of saidjuxtaposed relation, and releasable securing means cooperative with thetrack means for normally securing the exchangers in said juxtaposedrelation.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1, further characterized inthat the track means includes spaced apart pairs of cooperative trackelements.
 3. The invention defined in claim 2, further characterized inthat one element of each pair includes a tubular portion and thecooperative element of each pair includes a complementarily shapedportion and the releasable means for eaCh pair includes a fastenerremovably carried by one element and engageable normally with thecooperative element.
 4. The invention defined in claim 3, furthercharacterized in that each tubular element is elongated along the lengthof the track means and has opposite internally threaded end parts, andeach fastener is externally threaded to fit removably into therespective end parts.
 5. The invention defined in claim 2, furthercharacterized in that the elements of each pair are relativelyadjustable in order to improve the sliding relationship between theexchangers.
 6. The invention defined in claim 2, further characterizedin that the exchangers are disposed in parallel vertical planes and thetrack elements are upper and lower pairs.
 7. The invention defined inclaim 6, further characterized in that the first exchanger is verticaland is mounted ahead of the engine, the second exchanger is vertical andis mounted ahead of the first exchanger, one element of each pair iscarried on the first exchanger in spaced apart parallel relationship andthe other elements of the pair are carried on the second exchanger. 8.The invention defined in claim 7, further characterized in that theelements on the first exchanger are detachably and adjustably mounted.9. The invention defined in claim 7, further characterized in that thesecond exchanger elements are each in the form of a strip having arolled portion proximate to the first exchanger and parallel thereto andeach element on the first exchanger is a J-shaped element cooperativelyfitting the respective rolled portion.
 10. The invention defined inclaim 9, further characterized in that each of the opposite ends of eachrolled portion is internally threaded and each fastener is a cap screwthreaded into the associated rolled portion and abutting the respectiveend of the associated J-shaped portion.